chapter 1 The second head of a family

Underworld Prison.
This prison held the world's most wicked criminals, each infamous for their heinous crimes.
There were spies who stole state secrets, assassins who had killed presidents, and warlords who slaughtered tens of thousands of prisoners...
Baldwin Qi, dressed in a prison guard uniform, was writing in his father's study. Each stroke of his writing was structured, orderly, and strong.
"Second-in-command, there's trouble! The Ripper and Batista are fighting..." A prison guard stumbled in, speaking with alarm.
Baldwin Qi responded with an "Oh," and casually handed him a written note, saying, "Take this note. Have them clean the toilets for three days. If they refuse, tell them I'll dunk their heads in the toilet bowl again."
"Yes, Second-in-command!" The guard paused, then quickly grabbed the note and dashed off.
The Ripper was a renowned assassin in the world of hitmen, imprisoned for assassinating the U.S. president.
Batista was the leader of a massive underground organization, imprisoned for selling nuclear warheads.
"Second-in-command, there's big trouble! The Butcher is causing a ruckus over the cafeteria food and has injured several brothers!" Another guard rushed in, a look of sheer panic on his face.
Baldwin Qi raised an eyebrow and handed this guard another written note, calmly saying, "Have him wash dishes in the kitchen for a month. If he refuses, I'll personally hang him in the square for three days and nights."
The guard took Baldwin Qi's note and quickly scurried away.
The Butcher was a terrifying warlord who had slaughtered over ten thousand prisoners, regarding human lives as insignificant.
"Second-in-command, there’s… there’s… there’s another issue! Night Demon, who killed an entire family of Xue Country's general, has gone mad again and destroyed our solitary confinement cells!"
Baldwin Qi felt a growing headache, threw out another note he had just written, and coldly said, "Make him break both his legs and lie down in his cell for a month. If he's even a day short, I'll throw him into a manure pit for a day!"
Not wanting to delay a second, the guard grabbed the note and hurriedly ran off.
Baldwin Qi slapped his forehead, muttering, "There's so much trouble in this small prison. My dad has been gone for three years without a word, leaving all this hassle to me!"
He left the study and checked the time, then made his routine inspection of the exercise yard.
The prisoners in the yard immediately stood at attention upon seeing Baldwin Qi, lowering their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Second head of a family, second head of a family, have a smoke... Can you send this letter to my family? Once it's done, I'll give you a hundred million, my family is wealthy!" A magnate, worth hundreds of billions for selling national resources, approached with a grin, offering Baldwin Qi a cigarette.
"Greetings, Second-in-command..." The richest man in Hua Country, convicted of major monopoly offenses, bowed deeply with his head down.
"Good afternoon, Second-in-command!" The former head of the U.S. Intelligence Bureau, guilty of selling national intelligence, similarly lowered his head.
No prisoner here was ordinary; any one of their reputations would be enough to cause a sensation outside.
But at this moment, they all obediently bowed their heads, respectfully addressing Baldwin Qi.
"I've been in a bad mood lately. I hope you all behave," Baldwin Qi said.
"Uh... Yes, yes, yes!" Everyone paused, then hastily agreed.
Just as Baldwin Qi returned to his office, another prison guard rushed in, exclaiming, "Second-in-command..."
Baldwin Qi's eyebrows knitted, and he asked irritably, "What now?"
“Oh... It wasn't the prisoners causing trouble this time, but a beautiful female general from outside brought a prisoner here.” The prison guard said with a flattering smile.
Baldwin Qi responded with a sound of realization.
The prison guard continued, “This female general specifically asked to see Second-in-command, claiming she knows Big Boss too!”
Baldwin Qi was taken aback and said, “She knows my father? Let's see...”
Outside the prison, dozens of soldiers stood at the ready, guarding a cage. Inside the cage, a gloomy man was confined.
“Hehehe, once I get out of here, every single one of you will pay. None of you will survive!” The man threatened menacingly.
The surrounding soldiers all turned their heads, as if they were afraid he would remember their faces.
Beside them stood a woman with two stars on her shoulder, full of valour, tall and upright. Every movement she made exuded an aura of coolness.
She was the young miss of the imperial city's Yu family, Cheyenn Yu.
Cheyenn Yu looked coldly at Baldwin Qi, who emerged from the prison in his casual prison guard uniform, looking lacklustre, which was irksome.
“You are Baldwin Qi?” Cheyenn Yu asked, looking down on him. The two shining stars on her shoulders gave her a unique sense of arrogance.
Baldwin Qi found her gaze somewhat annoying and asked, “Who did you capture?”
“The Terror King, the one amongst the four underworld kings, Blackbeard. Higher-ups decided he should be detained here.” Cheyenn Yu approached and handed a document to Baldwin Qi. Baldwin Qi signed it casually and asked. “You wanted to see me?”
Cheyenn Yu calmly said, “I am Cheyenn Yu. I came to tell you that we are not of the same calibre.” Upon hearing this name, Baldwin Qi was clearly taken aback, and then frowned.
Cheyenn Yu's indifferent eyes fell on his rank, two little white stars, indicating a second-level prison guard.
“I regret our engagement.” Cheyenn Yu said lightly, her eyes filled with a touch of pity. The once young master of the Qi family was now guarding this shabby prison.
“Do you have any objections?”
After saying this, she took out an engagement contract and deliberately tore it in half in front of him.
The soldiers behind her looked at Baldwin Qi with disdainful eyes, filled with contempt.
How could a mere second-level prison guard be a match for General Yu?
Cheyenn Yu sighed slightly and said with a touch of pity, “I know this is a blow to you, but as you can see, we are not from the same world.” As she spoke, her gaze shifted between her own shoulders and his.
Baldwin Qi remained silent.
Cheyenn Yu handed over a business card and said, “As compensation for breaking off the engagement, you can use this card to ask me for two favors.”
“As the former young master of the Qi family, you should leave this hellish place soon. Perhaps then, there's still a chance for you to return to the clan.”
“Take care of the Terror King. Make sure he remains caged. Otherwise, many people will die...” “In our efforts to capture him, our military suffered heavy casualties. Even I sustained some minor injuries.”
After saying this, Cheyenn Yu turned around and jumped onto the vehicle. Without waiting for Baldwin Qi to reply, she immediately issued an order and led her team away.
"After he left the Qi family, he had completely fallen."
"Being in such a place, where even light is difficult to get in, even if he has a lot of talent, it will be worn out."
"When I spoke to him, he was so indifferent that he didn't respond to a single word. Clearly, he realized the gap in status."
Cheyenn Yu chuckled. If Baldwin Qi came to her with a business card, she would give him a chance to leave prison and join the military, perhaps having a small opportunity in future.
Baldwin Qi looked somewhat stunned at Cheyenn Yu's departing figure, then slowly retracted his gaze. The business card crumbled to dust in his hand.
"She must be crazy..."
Baldwin Qi murmured, and then casually unlocked the large lock of the cage.
Inside, The Terror King pushed open the cage door and sneered, "Kid, you should've listened to that woman's advice!"
"Unexpectedly, you have such a relationship with Cheyenn Yu, the war goddess of Hua Country!"
"But you're pitiful, she broke off the engagement with you... Tsk tsk, I'm somewhat reluctant to kill you now..."
Baldwin Qi suddenly slapped him. With a smack, the renowned King of Terror, whom the military had gone to great lengths to capture, passed out on the spot.
"I'm in a bad mood, why are you so chatty?"
Baldwin Qi said irritably, then grabbed the King of Terror by the ankle and dragged him like a dead dog into the prison...
"Second-in-command, Second-in-command, your letter!" A postman hurried over, stuffing an envelope into Baldwin Qi's hands, and indifferently glanced at the new prisoner who looked like a dead dog.
Baldwin Qi took a look and was immediately invigorated, "A letter from my father!"